If the Rams win, they'll be the first undefeated football team at Soroco since the 1968 season.

It becomes all the more important considering that Soroco isn't postseason eligible because the team moved from Class 1A to 8-man football last season.

"I don't think it will take much to get them up," Bruner said. "This was our playoffs. Two weeks ago it was the quarterfinals against Dove Creek, (Friday) was the semifinals, and our championship game is Friday against Norwood."

But before Soroco could get there, the team had to deal with a pesky Silver State team.

The Rams offense got off to a quick start Friday, jumping up 24-6 after one quarter and 40-18 at halftime.

But the Patriots scored right before the break, giving them momentum heading into the second half.

With Soroco senior Alex Estes having already returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, Silver State decided to go with onside kicks.

The Patriots got four of them in the second half, limiting what the Rams offense could do.

Silver State cut the lead to 48-34 going into the fourth quarter, before the Rams finally held on.

The Patriots' strategy worked in the second half, as the Rams offense scored on seven of its nine possessions in the game.

The onside kicks limited the Rams possessions in the second half.

"We should have put more points on the board, but I was proud of the kids. They never got their heads down," Bruner said. "They got the win. That's the main thing. I didn't have them prepared as well as I should have."

In addition to his two returns, Estes caught three touchdowns. Quarterback Cody Miles and Pie Lombardi each had a rushing touchdown.

Also important, Bruner said, was Soroco's conversion of six of its seven two-point conversion attempts.

Now the talk and focus turns to Friday and Norwood - possibly the biggest game in Soroco football in more than a decade.

"We talked about it the first of the year in August during two-a-days what their goals were," Bruner said. "A bunch of those guys, their goals were to go 8-0. They have that opportunity now. They've stuck together and overcome a lot.

"It's big. It's big for our program. We're on the right road for success in our program. Our kids know that. They know in 1968 the guys were undefeated. The kids are taking some pride in that."